U. of C. targets city students

University says it will improve financial aid, waive application fee for Chicago high schoolers

October 30, 2012|By Michael Holtz, Chicago Tribune reporter

Prospective students and their parents tour the University of Chicago campus. The school partnered with the city of Chicago to start UChicago Promise, a new initiative designed to help high school students prepare for college. (John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune)

The University of Chicago pledged Monday to eliminate loans from the financial aid packages it offers incoming students from Chicago, the centerpiece of a new initiative aimed at helping high school students across the city succeed in college.

The initiative, UChicago Promise, is an effort to get more Chicago students to enroll in college and help them navigate the application process.

"A college degree makes a huge difference in the lives of students and the trajectory of families," university President Robert Zimmer said during a news conference at Kenwood Academy High School. "Students from the city of Chicago should be aiming very high to fulfill their potential. We want them to attend the best school — the best college possible — that suits their needs, interests and abilities."

In addition to replacing loans with grants and other nonrepayable student aid, the U. of C. will waive the $75 application fee for all applicants who attended high school in Chicago. Aspiring college students can also enroll in free mentoring programs available through UChicago Promise.

The U. of C. partnered with the city of Chicago to launch the new initiative, which started this fall for students entering college next year.

"Simplifying this process, making it more accessible to more students, you have no idea how significant that is," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at the news conference.

As part of the new initiative, the U. of C. will establish an Admissions Academy designed to assist students and families through the application process and provide high school guidance counselors with professional training. It will begin this fall with workshops covering topics such as essay writing, interviews and financial aid.

Sonya Malunda, the university's senior associate vice president for community engagement, said the cost of college and lack of knowledge about financial aid often deters students from enrolling in schools that match their qualifications. She mentioned the complicated admissions process as another obstacle.

A U. of C. study completed in 2008 found that only 27 percent of Chicago public school graduates who qualified to attend a selective college did so, and only 38 percent of students who qualified to attend a very selective college actually enrolled in one.

"We all know that a college degree can help open doors and provide long-term opportunities," Malunda said. "UChicago Promise gives us yet another opportunity to partner with our city to help young people really reach their full potential in attending and completing college."